Episode 444
by CristaeEpisode 444
Just as students struggled to navigate stormy Einrogard, so too did the professors.
Of course, professors themselves didn’t get swept away and drift around in the currents like students.
For a mage at a professor’s level, a flood of this sort posed no problem.
The issue was…
“……”
Professor Lightningstep looked down at the waves with a troubled expression.
Where students’ hard-earned racetrack should have been, there was now a sea.
“Uh… The Principal probably didn’t do it on purpose.”
Professor Thunderstep spoke, glancing at the elder in his family. Of course, Thunderstep’s words offered little comfort.
“Enough, just think of a solution. What about your hut?”
“My hut is different…”
Professor Thunderstep replied awkwardly.
Unlike Professor Lightningstep, who had come as an outside adventurer, Thunderstep had spent many years at Einrogard and was a seasoned fixture.
Naturally, huts placed here and there had protection spells on them in preparation for these types of natural disasters.
In the case of a flood, the huts, cellars, and attached livestock pens were designed to naturally float away and drift, instead of withstanding the force of the water.
That way, after the flood ended, they just had to track them down and move them back.
Compared to that, a large racetrack was a different story.
If he wanted to prepare one now…
“We’d need to summon something to block the water, evaporate the water that came in, dry out the wet ground, and then maintain that for the entire week of exams.”
“Can you do it?”
“……”
Professor Thunderstep looked at him as if he was crazy.
To cast magic on such a scale was too much for one mage alone.
The magical exhaustion was one thing, plus all sorts of rare reagents, complicated spellwork…
It simply wasn’t something you could do just to hold one exam.
“I need to conduct my exam too…”
“Huh. Fine. I’ll have to change the test. After all I prepared, though.”
“Use it for the finals.”
“And what about what I’ve already prepped for the finals?”
“Just have them do both.”
Professor Thunderstep spoke shamelessly—something Lee Han would have jabbed him for from behind if he’d heard.
Professor Lightningstep looked tempted by the suggestion.
“True, it does seem a waste just to drop it…”
“That’s right.”
Thunderstep quickly agreed, like a sly henchman. He was relieved the family elder looked pleased.
“But I’m hesitant to change the test format. The students aren’t used to aquatic creatures.”
“Oh, come on. The students are really smart.”
Thunderstep kept buttering him up, just in case Lightningstep changed his mind and started giving him a hard time again.
A true Einrogard student should be able to handle an assignment involving befriending the new aquatic creatures under the sea.
“I heard from Professor Garcia that students even learned aquatic breathing spells.”
“Still… hmm…”
While Professor Lightningstep pondered, Skull Principal spun and flew by in the distance.
Professor Thunderstep was surprised at the sight.
‘Wow. He must be furious!’
Normally he’d just fly by, but today he was spinning wildly.
He wasn’t just sulking—he was truly upset.
What could have happened?
“What’s the matter?”
Ah! Professor Thunderstep! Listen to me!
Skull Principal, full of indignation, recounted what had happened.
If you haven’t chosen the test content yet, just crank up the difficulty by several levels! Avenge my Tanjuo!
“Ah, yes. That’s really unfortunate.”
Professor Thunderstep just nodded along, paying little real attention.
To be honest, professors at Einrogard generally didn’t sympathize with Skull Principal getting bested by a student.
It was such a rare occurrence…
…And, frankly, often brought on by his own actions.
‘Who is this for, anyway?’
Thunderstep had no intention of changing the test content. Above all, it was too much trouble.
“But how did someone get their hands on the Tanjuo reagents? Did you drop them by the roadside or something?”
No! I left them in the professors’ lounge and someone took them.
“Wow! That person is really ama…”
Skull Principal glared at Thunderstep, who quickly changed his tune.
“…zingly bad! Ha! Where did they even learn such mischief?”
If you ever find out what trick was used, let me know.
“Hm… It might have been a deal with Professor Verdus.”
Thunderstep just said the first thing that came to mind.
Of all the professors, Professor Verdus seemed the likeliest to make a deal with Lee Han.
I knew it!? That Bible Verdus, I swear…
Once Skull Principal grumbled off, Thunderstep turned to Lightningstep.
“Don’t mind what the Principal said.”
“The students are riding around on Tanjuo?”
“Eh? Yeah. Seems so. Those kids, really. So talented. I wonder who taught them, haha.”
“Hm…”
Professor Lightningstep nodded as if making a decision.
“Right. If they can do that, this should be fine.”
“……”
Thunderstep was left a bit speechless.
Wait…?
‘Just because Wardanaz is riding Tanjuo, does it really make sense to hold an exam at the same level for all the students?’
“Why are you so quiet?”
“It makes sense!”
Thunderstep agreed swiftly to avoid more hassle.
The hard work belonged to the students, anyway.
- * *
“Is today’s remaining class the advanced riding test?”
“That’s in the evening, right? Let’s just rest for now!”
Back in the library, the students shivered and rushed to the fire.
No matter how much the great beast Tanjuo protected them, it couldn’t keep out all the water.
And with this stormy weather, the cold of fall was even more biting.
“Hey, is it really okay to burn this?”
“Is the firewood okay…”
Crash—
Before they finished, Lee Han and the Black Turtle Tower students dumped a bunch of large wood pieces in the corner.
When they saw the dry, moisture-free timber, the friends were surprised.
“Where’d you get that?!”
“We got them from classroom desks and chairs!”
Ratford boastfully shouted. Lee Han suddenly felt a little embarrassed at those words.
‘Was it really necessary to say where we got them from?’
Lee Han could sustain the fire for a while with mana, but he couldn’t be there every time.
And given the number of students, they were always in need of more firewood.
‘Should we strip a few more classrooms?’
“Wardanaz. I saw something strange earlier…”
“What was it?”
“There was a hut floating by. But it seemed perfectly intact and protected by magic.”
“Really?? That’s interesting. Must be one of the huts from elsewhere in the school…”
Lee Han didn’t hesitate to decide.
“Let’s bring that hut later. We’ll dismantle it and use what we can. If it’s magically protected, there’s probably a lot to salvage.”
“Can we bring it?”
“With Tanjuo’s abilities, it should be no problem.”
In the distance, Tanjuo let out a sorrowful spout of water.
“Wardanaz. Come eat.”
Students from the White Tiger Tower, who had arrived first and prepared dinner, called Lee Han over.
Lee Han lined up with friends from Blue Dragon Tower to get some soup. The thick soup in the large tin pot bubbled with a savory aroma.
“…Ack! It’s poison!”
As soon as Gainando took a bite and screamed, the Blue Dragon Tower friends were startled.
“Hey, it’s not poison.”
“It just tastes bad because there aren’t enough ingredients. And the White Tiger Tower guys can’t cook anyway.”
“……”
“……”
The White Tiger Tower students glared at their friends.
They’d tried cooking with some secret techniques picked up from the knights’ building over break, and got this reaction…!
“Ugh, nobles are so spoiled.”
“Your tongues are coated in grease.”
“If you want delicious food, why’d you come to Einrogard? Hmph.”
“N-no, don’t misunderstand. Gainando just talks nonsense.”
“We actually think it’s pretty good. Of course it’s bland, but that’s because we don’t have ingredients.”
The Blue Dragon Tower students tried to reassure their White Tiger Tower friends.
There was no point in fighting when they were already working together. And really, this was on Gainando.
“If you’re out of ingredients, even the best cook can’t do much.”
“That’s not really true.”
Renjid, from Black Turtle Tower and the cooking family, spoke up as he walked by.
“Look at Wardanaz. Even with few ingredients, he makes it taste good. That’s a real cook. If you make excuses—”
“Hey… You clueless idiot…!”
“Are you Gainando? Are you Gainando??”
When the Blue Dragon Tower students piled on him, Renjid was startled.
He’d just spoken the truth about cooking!
Still, thanks to those two getting yelled at, the White Tiger Tower students’ anger eased.
“We’re not as good as Wardanaz at cooking. Wardanaz is from a high noble family, after all.”
“?”
The Blue Dragon Tower students tilted their heads.
‘We’re…’
‘also from high noble families, though…’
‘But we can’t cook, right?’
‘Shh. Quiet.’
Meanwhile, Lee Han took his soup and checked the barricade.
“How is it, Wardanaz? They won’t get through here, right?”
“Yeah. Good job.”
“…Can’t you increase the rations? There’s so much piled up…”
“No. What are you saying? We don’t know how long the flood will last.”
Lee Han cut them off.
“But since we have a test tonight, I’ll make sure the portions are generous for dinner.”
“!”
The faces of the White Tiger Tower students next to Lee Han brightened.
“By the way, is the riding training exam really the Flaming Dog?”
“Yes, I’m sure. Totally sure.”
The White Tiger Tower students insisted adamantly.
A rumor had been spreading among the students since yesterday.
-This riding training midterm is the Flaming Dog!
They’d dealt with the Flaming Dog in the first semester, too.
A few students had seen Professor Lightningstep moving the cage of the Flaming Dog while wandering the school at night.
Well, to be precise, it had grown a bit large for a ‘dog.’
“There was a Flaming Dog the size of a horse playing in the cage!”
“If it’s that big, is it even a dog anymore… Whatever, got it. I’ll keep that in mind.”
Lee Han tilted his head.
Could they really use the Flaming Dog for the test with this rain?
“Maybe it’ll be a training to rescue the Flaming Dog from the water?”
“That’s just cruel. What if the dog dies?”
“…Wardanaz. In this weather, worry about us who have to go in the water first…”
- * *
While no one was looking, a dock had appeared on the water. Professor Lightningstep had built the dock.
The students disembarked from Tanjuo one by one. Tanjuo let out a mournful spout of water.
“You all worked hard.”
“Hrk…”
“Professor…”
The students nodded, eyes brimming with emotion.
Still, whatever else, a test was a test, so the students readied their fire-resistance gear, full of anticipation.
Besides, with weather like this, a fire monster would be at an even bigger disadvantage!
“Today’s test is about how to handle aquatic creatures.”
“?”
“…?”
“The Flaming Dog is an aquatic creature?”
“Ah. Were you expecting the Flaming Dog?”
Professor Lightningstep sounded slightly apologetic.
“With this downpour, that’s just not feasible. So the test changed.”
“…What are we supposed to do? Fishing… is it fishing?”
Gainando looked at him, desperate for “fishing” to be the answer.
He really didn’t want to dive into those pitch black, stormy waters.
“Fishing is an option.”
“Knew it…!”
“I’ve released aquatic creatures. Go catch any one you can. Don’t hurt it.”
Before he finished speaking, a massive fin sliced by on the water’s surface.
The students exchanged sorrowful glances.